Featured Pages

Sunday, 30 June 2013

Lennox's non-fairy tale?

Oxford University Professor, John Lennox mumbled some incoherent nonsense (it is reported, e.g. here and here, and much better here) at the
'National Prayer Breakfast'. Presumably Lennox is quite good at mathematics. If not, he would not be a professor at Oxford University. Nevertheless, if the reports of the event are to be believed then he seems to grasp very little of logic. Isn't that surprising?

Apparently he 'preached' that atheism was a "delusion" and a "fairy tale for those afraid of the
light".

Can anyone explain to me how this can be true? Surely atheism is the lack of all these religious fairy tales, not specifically the Christian fairy-tale that Lennox happens to like.

Perhaps Prof. Lennox has been an outspoken critic of "God Delusion" author
Richard Dawkins, but if that is the only thing that makes him famous then perhaps he should be called 'a-famous'.

As for blaming atheism for the "moral drift" in society, (as is reported), I would just point him to accounts of the activities of Roman Catholic Priests over recent years and indeed Muslim men who have married child brides over many centuries (collectively, at least). Where is the moral drift now? Has it been led by religious men, perchance?

Dismissing the common assumption that science and religion are not compatible, he said "There is no necessary conflict between science and God, the real conflict is between world views, atheism and theism".

If not, why is he picking this particular fight? Moving on, we hear that:

"God is not the same kind of explanation as science is.

Now . . . on this point we can agree. One is a delusion and one is not. But then:

God is the
explanation of why there is a universe at all in which science can be
done."

Lennox might tell us this. But after all, this is just a fairy story!

Isn't it?

Dr Lennox was addressing over 600 people at the Bible Society-sponsored National Prayer Breakfast at the Houses of Parliament.
As Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University, Dr Lennox has
frequently spoken out against modern-day atheism, calling Richard
Dawkins 'wrong'.
He said that the new atheism is responsible for 'the moral drift' in
today's society. And he added that science and religion are not
opposed.
'There is no necessary conflict between science and God, the real conflict is between worldviews, atheism and theism,' he said.
'God is not the same kind of explanation as science is,' he added.
'God is the explanation of why there is a universe at all in which
science can be done.'
He warned that, 'The playing field is not level since atheism has
become so dominant ... and is often regarded as the default position in
the media.'
The risk of this is, he said, that society would forget 'the
contribution of Christianity to the moral foundations of our society'.
- See more at: http://www.baptisttimes.co.uk/index.php/national-news/986-atheism-a-delusion-john-lennox-#sthash.x2vSZjv2.dpufvvOxford University Professor John Lennox told over 600 people at the
National Prayer Breakfast why he is not convinced by atheism.

The math professor told guests at the Bible Society-sponsored event that
atheism was a "delusion" and a "fairy tale for those afraid of the
light".

He urged Christians to have "the courage to create public space" for the
discussion of "a biblical worldview", as he pointed to the example of
Tyndale, who translated the Bible into English 400 years ago and would
eventually be executed.

Dr Lennox, who has been an outspoken critic of "God Delusion" author
Richard Dawkins, blamed new atheism for the "moral drift" in society.

He also dismissed the common assumption that science and religion are not compatible.

"There is no necessary conflict between science and God, the real conflict is between worldviews, atheism and theism," he said.

"God is not the same kind of explanation as science is. God is the
explanation of why there is a universe at all in which science can be
done."

Atheism
is a 'delusion', a 'fairy tale for those afraid of the light'. That was
the message from Prof John Lennox from Oxford University on Tuesday
morning (25 June).
He also urged Christians to have 'the courage to create public space'
for the discussion of 'a biblical worldview' in society - citing the
example of Tyndale's translation of the Bible into English 400 years
ago.
- See more at: http://www.baptisttimes.co.uk/index.php/national-news/986-atheism-a-delusion-john-lennox-#sthash.x2vSZjv2.dpuf

Dr Lennox was addressing over 600 people at the Bible Society-sponsored National Prayer Breakfast at the Houses of Parliament.
As Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University, Dr Lennox has
frequently spoken out against modern-day atheism, calling Richard
Dawkins 'wrong'.
He said that the new atheism is responsible for 'the moral drift' in
today's society. And he added that science and religion are not
opposed.
'There is no necessary conflict between science and God, the real conflict is between worldviews, atheism and theism,' he said.
'God is not the same kind of explanation as science is,' he added.
'God is the explanation of why there is a universe at all in which
science can be done.'
He warned that, 'The playing field is not level since atheism has
become so dominant ... and is often regarded as the default position in
the media.'
The risk of this is, he said, that society would forget 'the
contribution of Christianity to the moral foundations of our society'.
- See more at: http://www.baptisttimes.co.uk/index.php/national-news/986-atheism-a-delusion-john-lennox-#sthash.x2vSZjv2.dpuf

Atheism
is a 'delusion', a 'fairy tale for those afraid of the light'. That was
the message from Prof John Lennox from Oxford University on Tuesday
morning (25 June).
He also urged Christians to have 'the courage to create public space'
for the discussion of 'a biblical worldview' in society - citing the
example of Tyndale's translation of the Bible into English 400 years
ago.
- See more at: http://www.baptisttimes.co.uk/index.php/national-news/986-atheism-a-delusion-john-lennox-#sthash.x2vSZjv2.dpuf

Atheism
is a 'delusion', a 'fairy tale for those afraid of the light'. That was
the message from Prof John Lennox from Oxford University on Tuesday
morning (25 June).
He also urged Christians to have 'the courage to create public space'
for the discussion of 'a biblical worldview' in society - citing the
example of Tyndale's translation of the Bible into English 400 years
ago.
- See more at: http://www.baptisttimes.co.uk/index.php/national-news/986-atheism-a-delusion-john-lennox-#sthash.x2vSZjv2.dpuf

Atheism
is a 'delusion', a 'fairy tale for those afraid of the light'. That was
the message from Prof John Lennox from Oxford University on Tuesday
morning (25 June).
He also urged Christians to have 'the courage to create public space'
for the discussion of 'a biblical worldview' in society - citing the
example of Tyndale's translation of the Bible into English 400 years
ago.
- See more at: http://www.baptisttimes.co.uk/index.php/national-news/986-atheism-a-delusion-john-lennox-#sthash.x2vSZjv2.dpuf

Subscribe To Something Surprising

See comments in your e-mail

People sometimes ask whether they can get notification about follow-up comments. The solution to this is to click the Comments button just above (or All Comments if you are on the home page and want them from all posts). You won't be inundated, and you can always unsubscribe if you are.